Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

Evan Stoudt faces strong winds while visiting the banks of Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans on August 28, 2012 in Louisiana, where Hurricane Isaac has made landfall. The US National Hurricane Center said a 'dangerous storm surge' was occurring along the northern Gulf Coast with storm surges of up to eight feet (2.4 meters) already being reported in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida. States of emergency have been declared in Louisiana and Mississippi, allowing authorities to coordinate disaster relief and seek emergency federal funds.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo credit: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/GettyImages)

A convoy of U.S. National Guard trucks arrive at a staging area awaiting further instructions in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2012 amid Hurricane Isaac. Isaac battered the city and surrounding region, flooding homes and driving stormy waters over the top of at least one levee, seven years to the day after Katrina devastated the city. Packing vicious winds of 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour and rolling slowly over Louisiana, Isaac has dumped huge quantities of rain on the renowned U.S. jazz city as residents cowered in their homes.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo credit: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/GettyImages)

A fallen streetlight sits in a puddle of water in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2012, as Hurricane Isaac battered the city and surrounding region, flooding homes and driving stormy waters over the top of at least one levee, seven years to the day after Katrina devastated the city. Packing vicious winds of 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour and rolling slowly over Louisiana, Isaac has dumped huge quantities of rain on the renowned US jazz city as residents cowered in their homes.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo credit: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/GettyImages)

An uprooted and fallen tree is positioned in front of a house in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2012, as Hurricane Isaac battered the city and surrounding region, flooding homes and driving stormy waters over the top of at least one levee, seven years to the day after Katrina devastated the city. Packing vicious winds of 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour and rolling slowly over Louisiana, Isaac has dumped huge quantities of rain on the renowned US jazz city as residents cowered in their homes.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo credit: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/GettyImages)

An uprooted and fallen tree is positioned in front of a house blocking a road in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2012, as Hurricane Isaac battered the city and surrounding region, flooding homes and driving stormy waters over the top of at least one levee, seven years to the day after Katrina devastated the city. Packing vicious winds of 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour and rolling slowly over Louisiana, Isaac has dumped huge quantities of rain on the renowned US jazz city as residents cowered in their homes.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo credit: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/GettyImages)

A fallen tree is positioned in front of a house in New Orleans , Louisiana on August 29, 2012, as Hurricane Isaac battered the city and surrounding region, flooding homes and driving stormy waters over the top of at least one levee, seven years to the day after Katrina devastated the city. Packing vicious winds of 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour and rolling slowly over Louisiana, Isaac has dumped huge quantities of rain on the renowned US jazz city as residents cowered in their homes.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo credit: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/GettyImages)

A street sign is turned upside down likely resulting from bricks falling overnight from a building along the deserted streets of New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2012 , as Hurricane Isaac battered the city and surrounding region, flooding homes and driving stormy waters over the top of at least one levee, seven years to the day after Katrina devastated the city. Packing vicious winds of 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour and rolling slowly over Louisiana, Isaac has dumped huge quantities of rain on the renowned US jazz city as residents cowered in their homes.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo credit: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/GettyImages)

A fallen tree blocks a road in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2012, as Hurricane Isaac battered the city and surrounding region, flooding homes and driving stormy waters over the top of at least one levee, seven years to the day after Katrina devastated the city. Packing vicious winds of 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour and rolling slowly over Louisiana, Isaac has dumped huge quantities of rain on the renowned US jazz city as residents cowered in their homes.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo credit: Frederic J. Brown/AFP/GettyImages)

A car drives beneath a fallen streetlight along deserted streets in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 29, 2012 as Hurricane Isaac battered the city and surrounding region, flooding homes and driving stormy waters over the top of at least one levee, seven years to the day after Katrina devastated the city. Packing vicious winds of 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour and rolling slowly over Louisiana, Isaac has dumped huge quantities of rain on the renowned US jazz city as residents cowered in their homes.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Rain from Hurricane Isaac falls over Bourbon Street on August 29, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Category 1 hurricane is slowly moving across southeast Louisiana, dumping large amounts of rain and knocking out power to Louisianans in scattered parts of the state.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

A man walks his dog as rain from Hurricane Isaac falls over Bourbon Street on August 29, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Category 1 hurricane is slowly moving across southeast Louisiana, dumping large amounts of rain and knocking out power to Louisianans in scattered parts of the state.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

A traffic light glows red after being downed by Hurricane Isaac's winds on August 29, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Category 1 hurricane is slowly moving across southeast Louisiana, dumping large amounts of rain and knocking out power to Louisianans in scattered parts of the state.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

A pedestrian walks through the rain of Hurricane Isaac on August 29, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Category 1 hurricane is slowly moving across southeast Louisiana, dumping large amounts of rain and knocking out power to Louisianans in scattered parts of the state.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

A tree is blown over outside Tulane Medical Center during the rains from Hurricane Isaac on August 29, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Category 1 hurricane is slowly moving across southeast Louisiana, dumping large amounts of rain and knocking out power to Louisianans in scattered parts of the state.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

High winds and rain from Hurricane Isaac fall on the Louisiana Superdome on August 29, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Category 1 hurricane is slowly moving across southeast Louisiana, dumping large amounts of rain and knocking out power to Louisianans in scattered parts of the state.

Hurricane Isaac Pounds Gulf Coast

(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Canal Street sits empty during Hurricane Isaac on August 29, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Category 1 hurricane is slowly moving across southeast Louisiana, dumping large amounts of rain and knocking out power to Louisianans in scattered parts of the state.